


The Parent-Teacher Night

by summers-maclay-lehane (ofstormsandwolves)



Series: Sunnydale 2019 [3]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23028904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofstormsandwolves/pseuds/summers-maclay-lehane
Summary: Buffy Summers is not looking forward to Parent-Teacher Night. Particularly with Principal Snyder out to get her...
Relationships: Rupert Giles/Joyce Summers
Series: Sunnydale 2019 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1377481
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	The Parent-Teacher Night

“Buffy, don’t forget we’ve got parent-teacher night tonight.”

At her mother’s words, Buffy froze with a spoonful of cereal halfway to her mouth. She hadn’t exactly _forgotten_ about parent-teacher night, she just hadn’t actively tried to remember it. Time was, she could have gotten away with just not mentioning it to her parents. But when your step-dad was the school librarian, it sort of became difficult to hide those sorts of things.

“Why do I have to go?” Buffy asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “Come to think of it, why do _you_ have to go?”

Joyce fixed her daughter with a look. “To talk to your teachers,” she said pointedly. “To find out how you’re settling in.”

“But Giles works there,” Buffy argued. “If one of my teachers had a problem with me, they’d have already spoken to him about it.”

The man himself was simply watching the conversation unfold as he leaned against the kitchen counter sipping tea and reading the paper. He glanced in Buffy’s direction, and she glared back at him, hoping he picked up on how unhelpful he was being.

“Well, I still want to meet your teachers,” Joyce retorted, and her tone left no room for arguments. “I’ll meet you and Rupert in the school library at five, and we’ll go see them.”

Clenching her jaw and realising she wasn’t going to win this particular battle, Buffy reluctantly turned back to her breakfast.

* * *

The car ride to school was tense and silent, Buffy choosing to scowl out the window rather than talk to Giles. To his credit, he seemed to pick up on the fact she didn’t want to talk, and he didn’t force conversation on her. But when they reached the school parking lot, he cut the engine and turned to her.

“There really is no need to worry about tonight, you know,” he said, and his tone was somewhere between caring and amused. Buffy was glad he found the whole thing so damn amusing. “I’ve had no complaints from any of your teachers, and while your grades are perhaps a little lower than your mother and I would like, they aren’t bad and we know you’re working hard.”

But that didn’t exactly reassure Buffy. “Principal Snyder hates me though,” she reminded her step-dad seriously. “He’s constantly watching me like I’m some sort of criminal!”

“Buffy, Principal Snyder hates _everybody_ ,” Giles responded with a small smile. “He even hates me. And your mother is aware of that, so do try not to worry.”

Buffy fixed her step-father with an unconvinced look then, before climbing out the car. She heard Giles sigh, before he too got out the car. She set a fast pace towards the school, but somehow he managed to grab his bag, lock the car, and fall into step beside her.

“I’m sure it won’t be anywhere near as bad as you’re thinking,” Giles said calmly despite the brisk pace they were walking at. “It’s a fresh start, Buffy. And like I said, your mother and I know how hard you’re working.”

Buffy came to a halt just in front of the steps leading up to the school, and fixed her step-dad with a look yet again. “But what if it’s not enough? What if, however hard I work, I’ve still screwed everything up? I bet Snyder can’t wait to kick me out of the school! And what then?”

“That’s not going to happen, Buffy,” Giles argued, exasperated. “Really, you’re getting ahead of yourself. How about we just get through the day, yes?”

Jaw clenched, Buffy glared up at the school building for several moments. “I’ll see you later,” she said suddenly.

Giles could only watch as she stormed up the steps to the building.

* * *

By the time five o’clock rolled around, Buffy was a jittery mess. She and the others had arrived in the library after sixth period, but while her friends had got on with their homework Buffy had fidgeted and paced and generally panicked.

“Geez, B, I don’t get the big deal,” Faith said with a frown as Buffy paced the library. “So what if some stupid teachers don’t like you?”

Jaw clenched, Buffy shook her head in frustration. “It’s not about whether or not they _like_ me,” she argued. “It’s about whether or not I’ve completely screwed things up.”

Willow was watching Buffy worriedly, an anxious expression on her face. “But you haven’t screwed things up, Buffy. I mean, sure, there was the whole fire and graffiti thing in L.A but- but that’s in the past!”

It was then that the doors to the library opened, and Joyce stepped in looking a little anxious. “I’m not late, am I?” she asked as she crossed the floor. “I was a little late leaving the gallery.”

Buffy gave her mom a tight smile. “It’s fine. Giles is in the office.” She nodded towards the office then, but Joyce didn’t move.

“So, these must be your friends,” Joyce stated, smiling at Willow, Xander, and Faith who were gathered around the table. “It’s so good to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Buffy and Rupert.”

Buffy rolled her eyes at that, and was relieved when Giles chose that moment to come out of his office.

“Ah, Joyce.” He greeted his wife with a smile and a kiss on the cheek, before turning to the children. “I’m going to have to lock the library up now. Were you three waiting for anyone?”

“I told Gwen I’d meet her in the student lounge,” Faith shrugged, shoving her half-finished science homework into her bag and crumpling it as she did so.

Xander got to his feet. “Well, lucky for me my parents don’t care enough to come to parent-teacher night.” He flashed a smile at Giles and Joyce, who both looked marginally uncomfortable with this news. “So me and Will are heading off.”

Giles frowned at that. “Willow? Your parents aren’t coming either?” 

The redhead smiled and shook her head as she stood. “No, they’re away for work. They’re at a lecture in Rhode Island. They’re psychologists.”

“And you’re home alone?” Joyce asked, not looking remotely pleased about what she was hearing. “I hope it’s only a few days.”

“A week,” Willow shrugged. Seeing the looks on Joyce’s and Giles’s faces, she quickly scrambled to cover. “I- It’s ok though, I’m kinda used to it. And Xander’s coming over for pizza!”

The boy nodded eagerly at that, and Joyce pursed her lips before fishing a notepad and pen out of her purse and writing something down.

“I know you’ve probably already got Buffy’s cell number,” she said as she tore the page off the pad and crossed the room to push it into Willow’s hands. “But there’s our home number, in case you need anything.”

Willow didn’t seem to know what to do with that, and gave Joyce a tentative smile. “Oh, uh, thank you Mrs Giles.”

“It’s Joyce, dear,” Joyce responded with a small smile. “And I expect you to use that number if you have to, am I clear?”

Willow nodded at that, seemingly a little less uncertain than a moment or so before. Then she turned to Xander. “Ready to go?”

“Sure,” he nodded, and the pair of them moved as one towards the door.

Buffy and Faith followed, and Joyce and Giles brought up the rear. As Giles switched the lights off and locked the doors, Joyce, Buffy, and Faith stood to one side to wait for him.

“Is it just your mother who’s coming to parent-teacher night, Faith?” Joyce asked suddenly.

“Mom,” Buffy started uncomfortably, “Gwen’s not-”

But Faith shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s fine, B,” she said, before turning to Joyce. “Gwen’s my adopted mom. My real parents fucked off when I was little, I don’t really remember them.”

“Oh,” Joyce said, flushing with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s fine,” Faith repeated, flashing Joyce a smile. “Gwen’s not that bad. Hell, she adopted me so I shouldn’t really complain. And besides, I don’t go in for that sob-story shit anyway. I’m not looking for sympathy or anything.”

“No,” Giles agreed as he joined the three women, “but if Snyder hears you swearing, you’ll be looking for a way out of detention.”

Despite Giles’s stern expression, Faith smirked at him.

“Yeah, and you know I’d find it, G. Anyway, speaking of finding stuff, I’d better go look for Gwen.”

She set off down the corridor then, and while Giles and Buffy were a little amused, Joyce seemed a little dumbfounded.

“So Faith’s, uh, nice,” she managed after a moment, looking to her husband for support.

“I’ll admit she has a nasty swearing habit,” Giles conceded as he started to lead Buffy and Joyce down the corridor, “but she really isn’t all that bad.”

Buffy tried not to notice how uncertain her mother looked.

* * *

Despite Buffy’s initial nerves, it seemed that things were going fairly well. Dr Gregory seemed quite optimistic regarding Buffy’s work, even if she did sometimes seem to struggle with focusing in class, and Mrs Barton said much the same. In fact, almost all of her teachers had one thing in common; they thought Buffy was doing well, but an extra little bit of effort wouldn’t hurt.

“How much more effort do they want?” Buffy grumbled as they left the French classroom. 

“Honey, this is all _good_ ,” Joyce reminded her daughter with a smile. “I hope you realise how proud Rupert and I are of you.”

With a hesitant smile, Buffy looked up at her parents. “You’re not mad?”

Giles frowned. “Of course not. Considering how difficult the last six or seven months have been, we’re very pleased with how well you’ve settled here.” He gave her a small smile. “And I did tell you not to worry.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Buffy said, though she couldn’t help but smile. “Quit rubbing it in.”

“I think we might need to make tonight a special dinner,” Joyce said as they headed through the school. “How does takeout sound?”

Buffy was about to answer, but before she could Principal Snyder appeared in front of them, looking frustrated.

“Mrs Giles?” he asked Joyce, point-blank ignoring Giles and Buffy altogether.

Joyce frowned. “Yes?”

“Principal Snyder,” the man said. “I need to talk to you in the office.”

Joyce looked to her husband then, a little confused and taken aback by the man. 

“Will it take long?” Giles asked, pulling Snyder’s attention onto him. “We were about to head home. Buffy has homework.”

Fixing the other man with an annoyed look, Snyder took a moment to reply. “It will take as long as it takes, Mr Giles.” Then, looking back to Joyce, he added: “If you’d like to follow me.”

With a final confused look between them, Joyce and Giles reluctantly fell into step behind Snyder.

* * *

The man set a brisk pace towards his office, never stopping to see if they were following. When they reached the office, Faith was stood outside, arms folded across her chest as she leaned against the wall.

“B,” she grinned, before turning her attention to Giles and Joyce. “Man, G, you must have done something real bad to be summoned to the principal’s office. You too, Mrs G.”

Snyder fixed Faith with an annoyed look, before opening the door and gesturing for Giles and Joyce to step through. When Buffy went to follow, Snyder stepped between her and the door, glaring at her.

“Miss Summers, why don’t you wait out here?”

And before Buffy could process what was happening, Snyder had stepped inside the office and shut the door.

“What was that about?” Buffy asked, turning to Faith.

The brunette grinned, and shrugged. “God knows. He’s got Gwen in there too. Bet he’s trying to rat us out, or something.”

Buffy’s eyes widened. “But we haven’t done anything!”

“Like that would stop Snyder,” Faith grumbled, before catching a look at the other girl’s panicked expression. “Chill, B. It’s five by five. G-man _knows_ we’ve not done anything wrong, and Snyder hasn’t got a single thing he can pin on us.”

Heaving out a sigh, Buffy slumped down to sit on the floor. Faith joined her a moment or two later.

Buffy looked to Faith with a frown. “This is going to take ages, isn’t it?”

* * *

Inside the principal’s office, Joyce and Giles had been a little surprised to find another woman already waiting. She had dark hair, and was smartly dressed, and looked a little surprised to see Snyder entering with two more parents.

“This is Mrs Post,” Snyder said as he moved to take his seat behind his desk. “She’s Faith’s adoptive mother. Mrs Post, this is Mr and Mrs Giles, Buffy Summers’ mother and step-father.”

But rather than looking at Giles or Joyce, Gwen was fixing Snyder with a glare. “You do realise,” she said sharply, “that being Faith’s adoptive mother _makes_ me her mother?”

“What are you getting at?” Snyder huffed.

“What I’m getting at,” Gwen responded, “is that there is no need to stress the ‘adoptive’ part. And I would appreciate it if you didn’t.”

As Giles and Joyce settled in the two remaining seats facing the desk, Snyder pointedly ignored Gwen’s comments.

“I’m sure you are well aware by now,” Snyder told them with an annoyed look on his face, “but your daughters have been... _Associating_ with one another.”

“Buffy and Faith are friends, yes,” Giles said with a frown. “Is that really why we’re here? So you can inform us of their friendship?”

“You are here, Mr Giles, so I can inform you that your daughters are troublemakers who have sought each other out in order to destroy school property and prank people.”

Giles and Joyce shared a baffled look at that, and Gwen arched an eyebrow.

“And do you have proof of this?” Gwen asked. “I’ve already spoken with several of Faith’s teachers, and nobody raised any concerns of troublemaking to me.”

“We’ve had the same with Buffy,” Joyce agreed, looking to Gwen as she spoke. “Everyone seems very pleased with how she’s settling in.”

Giles noted, with some amusement, that Joyce’s and Gwen’s apparent agreement was already frustrating Snyder.

“Regardless of what the other faculty members are saying,” Snyder announced loudly, and he gave a pointed look at Giles as he spoke, “I am telling you that I will not tolerate your children disrupting my school!”

“But they’re not,” Joyce reasoned. “They go to homework club every day after school, where Rupert keeps an eye on them. He’s never had an issue with them.” She looked to her husband. “Right?”

Trying hard to keep the smirk off his face as Snyder seemed to get angrier, Giles nodded. “Right. And they are, of course, friends with Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris as well. The four of them are very well-behaved.”

Gwen seemed quite pleased to hear this. “Well then,” she said, getting to her feet, “why are we here? I’m sorry, Principal Snyder, but unless you have any _genuine_ concerns about Faith’s schooling...”

“Your daughter has befriended an arsonist!” Snyder said suddenly, jumping to his feet.

Gwen froze, a frown on her face, and Giles and Joyce both stared at the principal in anger.

“Buffy Summers is an arsonist,” Snyder continued, and there was a look of malicious glee that spread across his face as he spoke. “She was arrested for participating in arson and vandalism at Hemery high school in Los Angeles, and was expelled as a result. Is that really the sort of person you want Faith associating with, Mrs Post?”

Furious, Joyce got to her feet before Gwen could speak. “How dare you! First of all, Buffy was not charged with arson, she had nothing to do with the fire! She was coerced by older students to tag along, and she had no idea what they were planning. And secondly, we were promised when we enrolled her here that she would be allowed a fresh start!”

“Not at the expense of corrupting other pupils, Mrs Giles,” Snyder sneered before turning his attention to Gwen. “Although now I think about it, I do recall one or two unsavoury marks on Faith’s permanent record too. What was it again, Mrs Post? Booby-trapping classroom doors; TP-ing the entire gym; breaking into the faculty room to swap the sugar for salt... I could go on, but I think Mr and Mrs Giles get the idea.” He fixed the three other adults with a cold smirk then and leaned back in his chair. “So with all that in mind, I’m sure you can understand why I was alarmed to hear that Miss Summers and Miss Lehane had become friends.”

“They’ve done nothing wrong,” Giles snapped. “How dare you hold past mistakes or poor decisions against them!”

“But how do we know those mistakes and poor decisions are in the past, Mr Giles?” Snyder countered, and it was clear he was enjoying the whole thing far too much. “No. The only way to ensure that they do not cause any trouble is pre-emptive action. Starting tomorrow, I do not want Buffy Summers and Faith Lehane associating with one another.”

“This is ridiculous,” Gwen protested. “You have no right to force the girls not to see one another. I won’t allow you to do this.”

“This isn’t about what _you’ll_ allow, Mrs Post, this is about what _I_ am going to _do_. Talking to you tonight was simply a formality.”

“Then we’ll go to the school board,” Joyce responded sharply. “You can’t ban the girls from being friends, it’s ridiculous.”

“Indeed,” Gwen agreed. “I’m sure the school board would be quite interested in hearing about this.”

Snyder seemed to pale then, as Joyce and Gwen glared down at him as one. As angry as he was, Giles couldn’t help but be amused. It served Snyder right for trying to pit Joyce and Gwen against each other.

Jaw clenched, Snyder seemed to consider his options for a moment. “I’ll be watching your girls very closely,” he ground out after a moment. “So much as a whiff that they are planning something and I will not hesitate to keep them on separate sides of the school campus.”

“Well,” Giles said, getting to his feet, “we’ll bear that in mind, Principal Snyder. But I highly doubt that would keep the girls from spending time together outside of school.”

Ignoring the enraged look on the principal’s face, he instead moved to open the office door. Joyce and Gwen filed out, and just before he stepped out, Giles glanced back at the man behind the desk.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Principal Snyder. Have a good night.”

* * *

“How bad was it?” Buffy asked worriedly as she and Faith followed their parents down the corridor.

“Oh, it’s nothing to worry about,” Joyce insisted, giving the girls a rather unconvincing smile. “Just a little misunderstanding.”

Gwen still looked furious, and Faith wasn’t sure if she was amused or concerned about that. “How that man is running a school, I don’t know,” the woman huffed in frustration. “He’s not fit to be in charge of a paper bag.”

“At least now you know I wasn’t lying when I told you the principal’s a rat,” Faith grinned.

All three adults fixed her with a look, but the brunette remained unbothered.

“Yes, well, ‘rat’ is one way to describe Principal Snyder,” Giles muttered.

They made their way out to the school parking lot in a tense silence, all of the adults apparently still stewing over Snyder’s comments in his office. Buffy, Giles, and Joyce were just heading in the direction of Giles’s car when Gwen stopped them.

“I can’t say I wasn’t a little surprised by some of the comments Principal Snyder made,” she admitted to Joyce and Giles, who shifted uncomfortably, “but then I’m sure you felt the same.” She gave a meaningful look towards Buffy and Faith, who had gravitated towards each other and were frowning at their parents in confusion. “And given the principal’s attitude and approach to the situation, I can’t help but feel that he is rather... Selective regarding what he wanted us to know. I know for a fact that some of the things he told you were, shall we say, _oversimplified_ for instance.”

Buffy and Faith exchanged a look at that. Whatever their parents were discussing didn’t sound that good, and knowing Principal Snyder he’d had nothing but awful things to say about them.

“Unfortunately, Principal Snyder sees what he wants to see,” agreed Giles. “He certainly didn’t give you the full details.”

Gwen looked unsurprised by that, and nodded, sighing. “That’s what I thought.” She paused. “Perhaps we should discuss this further. Get everything out in the open, so to speak.”

Joyce shifted uneasily, and looked to her husband briefly. “I suppose so,” she agreed after a moment. “Are you free this weekend?”

“I am,” Gwen replied. “When would be good for you?”

Joyce responded by digging through her purse and pulling out one of her business cards. “We’re fine for whenever,” she said as she handed the card over. “But my cell number is on there, so just let me know. We can sort the details then.”

And with one final smile between them, the three adults parted company, leaving Faith and Buffy blinking after them.

“What just happened?” Faith asked.

“I don’t know,” Buffy admitted slowly. “But I don’t think it was good.” 

With one last look between them, Buffy and Faith reluctantly trailed after their parents.


End file.
